Echoes of the Past
by thumos
Summary: Where Korra learns metalbending. AU tag to "Out of the Past".


It's hopeless – she's trapped trapped _trapped_, and there's nothing she can do about it. She's such an idiot. It was stupid, charging into Tarrlok's office, demanding that he let Mako, Bolin, and Asami go, and it was stupid trying to fight him – there's still a part of her that insists that _he_ attacked_ her_, and not the other way around – and Naga's probably worried _sick_, and she didn't even tell Tenzin and Pema where she was going and how long is it going to be before someone realizes that she's gone?

Korra takes a deep breath in a desperate attempt to reestablish control. Having a panic attack now, here, of all places, will do absolutely nothing but wear her out even more. What she needs is a way out of this stupid metal box.

Her mind wanders as she tries to think of escape plans. Where did Tarrlok take her, exactly? Is anyone standing guard? _No_, Korra tells herself, _no one's standing guard because Tarrlok _just committed a felony by attacking her in the first place _and not even the Equalists are that stupid. _She forces herself to focus as she runs through the elements. Water won't work – there's none there, and it's too cold for her to sweat so she can't use that either, and Korra _doesn't cry_, so tearbending won't work either. She won't use fire unless she can somehow come up with a way to use it to bust out of the metal box without killing herself first, and earthbending's out because of, well, _the metal box_.

And then it hits her. _Metalbending_. She's never done it before, because no one's ever taught her, but didn't Toph Beifong invent metalbending by busting herself out of a metal box? _Chief Beifong, your mother is my hero._ Not that she'd ever tell Lin to her face, of course. Korra can't hear any footsteps, and she's lost the feel of the moon's pull a while ago, so she can only assume that Tarrlok's back in Republic City, making some excuse about why she went missing in the first place. Korra stands up – it's hard to ignore the dizziness and fatigue that accompanies such an action – and spreads her feet out in an earthbending stance. She closes her eyes, trying to visualize the box around her.

_Metal is just another form of earth_, she tells herself. _Bend it to your will… just like everything else._ She presses her fists against the walls of the metal box, and a strangely distant voice fills her mind – a child's voice. "The key is in the stance. Stand your ground, and face it head on."

Another voice drifts up, an older one. "Metal is just earth – purified and refined."

Korra slams her fists into the metal, and she grits her teeth in frustration. "Come on…" she groaned. "Move!" One more hit. Another. And throughout Korra's efforts, more and more voices flow through her mind.

"Wow, Aang… she's really something, isn't she?"

"She's a lot like you Toph. It's too bad your daughter doesn't like her very much."

"Twinkle Toes! She'll hear us!"

"Well, in that case…" Korra stops and staggers backwards, panting. She squeezes her eyes shut, and when she reopens them, a bald man stands in front of her.

"A-Aang?" Korra gasps.

"You're doing well, Korra," he says with a gentle smile. "I haven't been a very reliable Avatar, I'm afraid, since this is the first time we're speaking face-to-face." Without thinking, she throws her arms around him and hugs him tightly. Her head suddenly becomes so heavy, she can hardly keep it up, and her body becomes so light that she feels like she's floating. Keeping her eyes open becomes a struggle, and her knees buckle as she crumples into Aang. "This isn't really the time or the place for a nice heart to heart, is it?" He hugs her back, but she can feel that he's supporting her, helping her stand. "I know you're tired, but you have to keep going. You're almost out. I'll explain everything later." When she reopens her eyes, she's back in the metal box, and she can't see Aang anymore, but for some inexplicable reason, she can tell that he's _there_ with her.

She slams her whole body into the metal wall, and can't possibly be happier that she's actually toppling over, onto the cold floor. Maybe it's the lightheadedness and the fatigue, but she soon finds herself laughing almost uncontrollably. When she finally composes herself, she can barely bring herself to her feet, and when she does, she can't stand without clutching the metal box for support. _This is absolutely amazing. How do I get back now?_ The answer lies outside, in the snow falling too quickly to the ground. Korra doesn't even stop to wonder why bending is so much easier than walking as she uses the snow and ice to propel herself out of the cabin where Tarrlok kept her and down the mountain.

She doesn't expect Naga to be there at the foot of the mountain, and she loses control of her bending and crashes into the polar bear dog. Naga licks her face, and her head's still spinning and she can't summon the strength to even move, let alone get up and keep bending her way away from the mountain. She barely registers Naga nudging her with her nose and slowly pushing her body onto the polar bear dog's back.

What happens next is something she can't quite comprehend. It's like her mind is elsewhere for part of the time, and she can only remember her journey back to Republic City on Naga's back in temperatures: cold, still cold, and too cold. She doesn't know how, but when she's finally conscious enough to function, she's back on Air Temple Island, with Meelo hugging her waist, Ikki speechless for once, and Pema and Jinora staring worriedly at her. Her head hurts, and she's completely drenched and shivering uncontrollably and confused as to why.

Pema waddles over and places a hand against her forehead, sighing heavily. "You're too cold," she says. Korra must have lost consciousness again, because the next thing she knows, she's in clean, dry clothes underneath several blankets. Pema's sitting next to her, smiling gently, and Korra groans as she tries to sit up. It's still too cold, and she considers asking Pema for another blanket. "Careful," Pema says gently as she pushes Korra back down.

"What's happening?" Korra whimpers as she shivers.

"You're still really sick," Pema explains gently. "You got… well… sort of the opposite of a fever."

"Wh-What's that mean?" Korra croaks out, and she wonders why she isn't surprised that her voice sounds so weak.

"I'll ask you for the details when you're feeling better," Pema says, patting Korra's forehead. "Right now, you just need to get some rest." Something makes its way to Korra's mouth, and she's grateful for the rush of warm liquid – she's so tired, she can't even taste it – it brings. "Tenzin and the others will be back soon. We've all been so worried about you." Somehow, Pema's voice mixes with her own mother's, and the sound makes her drift off again.

When she wakes up again, her head feels clearer, and she's sweating because of all the blankets. Asami's sitting by her bed this time, and Korra has to pinch herself to make sure she's actually awake this time because Asami's wearing _bright orange Air Nomad clothes_. "You look funny…" Korra mumbles groggily, and Asami jumps up.

"You're awake!" the girl cries before sighing in relief. "Thank goodness; we were all so worried…"

Maybe if Korra weren't so groggy and irritated, she'd have been a little nicer to Asami. "Can you get the blankets off? It's really hot in here."

To her surprise, Asami giggles and removes three thick blankets, and Korra finally sits up in bed, wiping sweat off her forehead. "That's a good thing, I think," Asami says gently. "Wait here. I'll tell the others that you're up."

When Asami leaves, Korra sinks back into the covers, trying to make sense of everything that happened the previous day. "I'm glad you're okay, Korra." Korra jolts upright, only to find a slightly translucent Avatar Aang sitting where Asami was earlier.

"Aang…"

"See? You didn't need my help at all."

Korra crosses her arms and glares at him. "That doesn't mean you can… you know… _not show up at all_."

Aang chuckles and scratches the back of his head. "Okay, if that's what you want," he says cheerfully. "But you _are_ strong enough to endure these things on your own… but having friends there with you always makes things better."

Korra gives a small smile. "Of course. And… thanks, Aang."

"Don't forget," Aang gives as the apparition slowly begins to fade. "Even if it's just a small breeze… a whisper in the wind… I'll always be with you. You're not alone."

And, just as Tenzin, followed by Mako, Bolin, Asami, Pema, Lin, and the kids burst into the room, the apparition disappears entirely. "Korra!" Ikki, Meelo, and Bolin yell simultaneously as they all latch onto her in some way – Ikki and Meelo onto her waist, and Bolin onto her shoulders. Mako and Asami are conspicuously apart as Tenzin and Lin bombard her with questions.

"Everyone, give her some space!" Pema yells as she pushes through the crowd and begins fussing over her immediately.

And this, Korra realizes, is home.


End file.
